In a major step, the Punjab government has decided to enroll all the out of school children, especially children of migrant labourer including brick kiln.
Today Education and Language Minister Punjab Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka said that The Punjab Government is committed to achieve the goal of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) by bringing all out of school children i.e. working children, street children of migrant labourers/families, deprived children, street children in Urban slums, bonded child labour, children of beggars, girls of minority community, girls involved in domestic chores/sibling care and other vulnerable sections of the Society, in the schools. Minister said that to bring them into the mainstream, the Punjab government would impart special training to bridge the gap in their learning level as well as health by the department concerned. The minister also said that the School Management Committee or the Local Authority shall identify children requiring special training and also organize such special training which would be based on special designed age specific learning material, which shall be approved by the academic authority.
According the minister Web based Child tracking system has already been developed for follow up action to ensure that the children go to school regularly. This system would be updated from time to time, he added.Maluka also said that training would be imparted under the supervision of the regular school head teacher or by the teachers specially appointed by the school management committee (SMC)or the local authority. The duration of such training shall be for a minimum period of three months, which may be extended further, based on periodical assessment of learning progress of the children up to maximum three years. The child upon induction into the age specific class after obtaining the special training shall continue to receive the special attention of the teachers to enable him or her to successfully integrate with the rest of the class, academically and emotionally.
Maluka added further that for the children from small villages, dhanies or abadies, as identified by the State Government, where no school exists within the area or limits of neighborhood, the State Government or the local authority would make adequate arrangements, of free transportation, residential facilities, for providing elementary education to such children in a school. Minister also said that in the areas with high population density, the state government would consider the desirability of establishing more than one neighborhood schools. Department of School Education through Sarva Shiksha Abhayan Authority, Punjab or the Local Authority would conduct continuous and comprehensive evaluation of these children, said Mr. Maluka.